Improvement in machines for dressing staves



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A. M. BENSON. Machine for Dressing Staves. No. 210,444. Patented Dec. 3,1878.

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A. M. BENSON.

Machine for Dressing Staves. No. 210,444. Patented Dec; 3, 1878.

WIN SSES I INVENTOR 1 42. a, I fimfiar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ARZA M. BENSON, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR DRESSING STAVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,444, dated December3, ,1878; application filed October 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARZA M. BENsoN, of Cleveland, in the county ofGuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in'Stave-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in machinery fordressing staves for barrels and similar packages; and it consists in theparts and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2, a side elevation,illustrating a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a section by ahorizontal plane passed about centrally of the length of the rollers,and illustrating, in horizontal projection, the parts beneaththe plane.Fig. 4 is a similar section, illustrating, in horizontal projection, theparts above the plane. Fig. 5 is a section by a vertical plane passedlongitudinally of the knives and containing their fastening-bolts. Fig.6 is a view, looking againstgthe faces of the rolls, and illustratinghow they are connected at the bottom with the spring beneath. Fig. 7 isa separate view of the knives. Fig. Sis a transverse section on the lineas y of Fig. 7.

A is a suitable frame. B is a drive-pulley, geared by any suitablemeans, B and 0', so as to operate a shaft, 0. The end of this shaft 0has a pinion, 0 D is a rack-bar, finished at one end, D as a plunger fordriving the stave forward. At its other end it is attached to a cord andweight, D passing over a pulley, d.

The rack-bar D rests loosely upon the adjustable bed E, which is pivotedat 6. Its other end engages with a connecting-bar, E, which, in turn, isconnected with one arm of the lever F. The leverF is pivoted at f, andthe end of its other arm is provided with a foot-tread, f and anopening, f Atrigger, G, is pivoted at g. Its lower end extends throughthe opening or slot f and is provided with a notch, g, in order thatwhen the lever F is pressed down the notch 9 will engage with the lever.The upper end of the trigger Gr projects above the frame, and a springof 7 rubber or other suitable material, G, acting against the trigger,makes sure its engagement with the lever F below.

On the rack-bar D'is a lng or projection, d, the office of which is tospring the trigger by striking its upper end as the plunger movesforward.

H is a spring, of any suitable form, though I prefer the form shown inthe drawings, wherein the spring is supported by and attached to adepending bracket, H. D is an arm projecting from the rack-bar D, andpreferably provided with an anti-frictionroller, (P.

The operation of the plunger mechanism is substantially as follows:Power being applied to the band-wheel or drive-pulley B, motion iscommunicated to the shaft 0 and its pinion 0 Now, when it is desired tooperate the plunger forward the -stave is inserted in the channel infront of the plunger. The operator then puts his foot upon thetread fand presses down the lever F until it engages beneath the notch on thetrigger G. By pressing down the lever F its rear end, in rising, lifts,by means of its eonnecting-bar-E, the movable bed E. This raises therack-bar until it engages with the pinion C". This drives the plungerforward. Shortly before it reaches the end of its travel its arm D comesin contact with and retracts the spring H. hen the plunger is movedsnfficiently forward the projection or lug 01, coming in contact withthe trigger G, springs the same and releases the lever F below. As soonas the lever F is released the movable bed E drops down, the rack-bar Ddisengages from the pinion O and the spring H instantly and quicklystarts the rack-bar back to its original position.

The spring H assists the weight D in quickly overcoming the inertia ofthe rackbar, so that no time is lost in forcing it back; but as soon asthe arm D leaves the spring, then the weight alone serves to carry therackbar from that point back. Now, in order that the rack-bar may notstrike harshly against the frame A at the end of its backward travel,the cord to which the weight D is attached is made sufliciently longthat the weight may strike the ground or floor and cease its action justbefore the bar completes its travel.

I will now proceed to describe the dressing mechanism: I I are rollers,made preferably to turn loosely upon upright shafts I. These rollers arefor the purpose of grasping the stave and holding it in the properposition and proper inclination for the knives. At their lower ends theshafts I have a loose bearing in frames J. The frames J are each pivotedat pointsj, and at their free ends are attached to chains or cords K.These cords, passlng over stationary pulleys 7:, extend beneath, and areboth attached to, a stiff spring, K, so that the spring acts equallyupon both chains K; and when the stave is not between the rollers, thefree ends of the frames J rest squarely on plate J, over and in contactwith which the stave passes, so that the lower ends of the rollers willguide the lower edge of the stave centrally on its passage. By looseningor tightening either of the eyebolts K the lower ends of therollers willbring the stave into any desired position at the bottom of the rollers.The upper ends of the shafts l are loosely journaled in frames, the rearends of which are pivoted to the sides of the frame M, to which theknives are attached.

A rib or projection, m, extends out between the free ends of the framesL, and set-screws, or their equivalent, act as stops to prevent theupper ends of the rollers from coming together, and they may serve toadjust the upper ends of the shafts l with relation to this projectingrib, so as to give the stave any desired tilt or inclination as it isfed to the knives; but this latter adjustment is intended to be effectedby loosening or tightening either of the eyebolts, after which theset-screws l are adjusted to corr ;spond.

The rear ends, I, of the frames L are connected by suitable links L withthe lever L rod or chain L and spring or weight L beneath, andtherebythe upper ends of the shafts l are acted upon equally andsimultaneously by the same spring or weight L If, therefore, a stave isforced between the rolls I, and if one edge should chance to be thickerthan the other, the rolls will yield at either end, and will yieldequally, so that the median line will have the proper inclinationdesired to be given to the SHLXG as it approaches the knives; and ifthere are any irregularities on the surface of the stave the saidrollers will yield at either end without disturbing the other end, andwill cause the stave to enter straight, or nearly straight.

N N are the knives, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter setforth. They are secured at the top to the frame M, which frame ispivoted at m. m are arms, which project back and engage with the leversP, which are fastened rigidly at opposite ends of the shaft 1). Theselevers have a common lever-arm, P to which is suspended the weight 1. Attheir lower ends the knives N N 1 are attached to aframe, N which ispivoted at n The object of thus pivoting the knives and bringing theirsupporting-frame under the influence of the weight]? is as follows: Ifthere be bends or crooks in the stave, or if the rear end of the staveshould rest at either side of the channel, the plunger striking againstit would drive it forward between the rollers I. The forward end wouldthen be centered by the rollers, and the rear end would be immovableagainst the end of the plunger. The tendency would be therefore to drivethe stave against the knives in an improper direction. But thisconstruction, it is apparent, is such thatif the stave comes forwardbetween the rolls in such improper direction its action on the rollswill cause the knife-frame to rotate slightly about its vertical axis,so as to present it properly for receiving the stave just the same asthough the stave itself had entered properly. It is apparent that if theknives should not so turn one knife would gouge into and improperlydress the stave.

The knife N is shouldered wellin at a, while the top of the knife N isnot so shouldered. The object of this construction is that the bearingsor attachment to the frame M may be at equal distances on each side ofthe pivotal point m, so that when the strain is brought I upon theknives as the stave enters or is passin g through between them thisstrain will at the top be thrown as much upon one side of the pivot m asupon its other side, causing the direction of the resultant strain to bethrough the center of the pivot, thereby obviating any tendency of theknives to turn about the said pivot, which, it is apparent, would causeone or the other of said knives to gouge into or improperly dress thestave.

It will be noticed that the lower ends of the knife-edges are at equaldistances on each side of the center of the stave-channel but the curvedspace between the knives, as it ascends from the base, projects somewhatto the left of a median vertical plane, and then projects across and tothe right of said median plane at the top.

I explained how the strain would be equalized at the top and directedcentrally through the pivot on by reason of the deep recesses a. Now, inorder to prevent a similar tendency at the bottom to turn to the leftwhen under action, the lower ends are attached to the plate ]L2, and itspivot n is placed a little to the left of the median plane, sufficientto neutralize that tendency.

Vashers Q serve to adjust the knives to suit any thickness of stave.

The knives, as will be seen by their crosssection, have their edges aprojecting well out beyond their heels-n and there is a channelpreferably formed between them. The object of this construction is thatthe knives wear rapidly on their inner surfaces adjacent to the stave,and they may be ground off along the portions or, and a single set maythereby be made to serve for a long period. Moreover, the surface to beground is rendered very small by reason of the channel a and the factthat the heel n is set so far back.

As the knives are ground away washers Q,

may be reduced in number, so as to properly adjust the knives.

It represents check-plates, which guide the stave as it is passing outof the machine. Heretofore'they have generally been made narrow; butwhen so formed a difficultyfrequently arises, as follows: The stave maybe passing through, as before explained, in a sligh tly-false direction,and, after its rear end passes through rollers, the knives will have atendency to gouge the stave. If the said plates It be narrow, the end ofthe-stave may project out at one side, and thereby cause the stave to bedressed too thin at its other end, whereas if the plates Q be madebroad, as I construct them, the stave will maintain a bearing againstthe face-plate at the extreme end of the same, thereby accuratelycentering it as it passes out of the machine.

The plunger back of the rack-bar is inclined upward, as shown at (1 sothat when the pinion has driven the rack-bar forward its whole lengththe pinion will strike the incline d and knock the plunger down, so asto disengage from the pinion.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with the rack-bar plunger andswinging bed .formed to extend longitudinally beneath the same, of thefoot-treadle, pivoted below said bed, and having link-connectiontherewith, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the rack-bar plunger, swinging bed extendinglongitudinally beneath the same, and foot-treadle having linkconnectionwith said bed, of the upright pivoted lever, which has trip-engagementwith the free end of the treadle, and is adapted to be operated byengagement with a stud formed on the plunger, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination, with the rack-bar plunger and right-an gular armprojecting therefrom, of the upright spring-bar, having its lowerextremity secured to the frame, while its upper extremity is adapted tohave lateral engagement with said arm as the plunger is driven forward,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with drive-pinion O and rack-bar plunger D, whoseupper surface engages therewith, of swinging bed E, extendinglongitudinally beneath said plunger, together with link E and treadle1*, adapted to act as a lever of the first order, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, with rollers I, the upper extremities of whoseshafts are seated in hinged frames L, formed with lever-arms Z, ofspring or weight L and intermediate connecting mechanism, said hingedframes operating as levers of the first order, substantially as setforth.

6. The combination, with rollers I, the upper extremities of whoseshafts are seated in pivoted frames L, having their rear portions formedwith lever-arms l, of link L bell-crank L upright link L and spring orweight L substantially as set forth.

7. In a stave-dresser, the combination of knives fastened rigidly tohinged plates M N the said structure provided with lever-arms M lever P,link P and Weight or spring P substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

8. The combination, in a stave-dresser, of knives rigidly attached topivoted frames, and provided also with weight or spring conn ection,and, in connection therewith, rollers I, with their shafts seated inpivoted frames and held together at both ends by spring or weightmechanism, said shaft-frames being pivoted to the knife-frame,substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. The combination, with the frames L, of the adjusting devices l P,whereby, in connection with the frame M, the rollers are given anydesired inclination, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In a stave-dressin g machine, a knife having the edge a set well outin advance of the heel or, and an intermediate channel, 01 substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

11. In a stave-dresser, the plunger D provided with rack-bar andinclined surface at, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARZA M. BENSON.

Witnesses J NO. ORowELL, J r., WILLARD FRACKER.

